Prominent Greek neo-Nazi exits prison, vows return to politics

Elon Musk, who has backed far-right groups in Europe, called Ilias Kasidiaris' continued incarceration "messed up" on X on July 17.(AFP) — The former spokesman for Greece’s neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, Ilias Kasidiaris, was released from prison Tuesday and vowed to return to politics after having already drawn attention from Elon Musk.Kasidiaris, 45, had been sentenced to 13 years in prison as a leading member of the violent group, which for years carried out beatings of migrants and political opponents and was responsible for the 2013 murder of antifascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas.Raising his fist and holding a folded Greek flag, Kasidiaris said he was returning with a “new, strong national party, such as those dominating all of Europe.”“Today I am back. And from what I see, I am not alone,” he said outside Domokos Prison in central Greece.He called his incarceration “an underhanded and dirty conspiracy” by his political opponents and said he would announce the name of his new party Monday.Dozens of cheering supporters, several holding Greek flags, were waiting for him.“Ilias, we are with you,” many chanted. “We will make you prime minister.”His release comes amid the rise of the far right in several European countries, including Germany, where the Alternative for Germany party recently won a regional election, the first such victory since World War II.Kasidiaris, a Golden Dawn member of parliament from 2012 to 2019, served six years in prison and received credit toward the remainder of his sentence while incarcerated.He had previously spent a year in pretrial detention in 2014 before his imprisonment in 2020.Even while incarcerated, the former food chemist remained politically active on social media, particularly on his YouTube channel, which has 162,000 subscribers.In July, he drew the attention of Musk, whom he has praised as “the most eminent personality in the world.”The billionaire, who has backed far-right groups in Europe, including Germany’s Alternative for Germany, wrote on X on July 17 that Kasidiaris’ continued incarceration was “messed up.”Before his imprisonment in October 2020, the former Golden Dawn spokesman launched a new political party, the Hellenes, and sought from prison to run as a candidate in Greece’s 2023 parliamentary elections.But the Greek Supreme Court barred his party from the ballot.History of violenceA former drill instructor for Golden Dawn members, Kasidiaris has been photographed with a swastika tattoo on his left arm and is known for violent outbursts.During a television talk show in 2012, he slapped a communist member of parliament and threw a glass of water in the face of a left-wing lawmaker.He has also spat at and struck camera crews.In a discussion with party supporters in November 2012, he said election to parliament enabled Golden Dawn members to “carry weapons legally with a permit.”“There’s no immediate arrest if an incident occurs, so we can move around a bit more freely,” he said.Legal experts have noted, however, that Kasidiaris remains barred from running for office until 2033, when his prison term was originally scheduled to end.The Supreme Court will make a decision when the next election is held. Elections are scheduled for 2027.Golden Dawn made a sensational entry into parliament in 2012 amid social distress linked to Greece’s financial crisis, declining trust in institutions and the discrediting of the main political parties.Greece’s far right is currently fragmented among various small parties, several of which are not represented in parliament.In the 2023 elections, a far-right party called the Spartans received more than 240,000 votes with Kasidiaris’ public backing.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads